Save The Best Until Last
by The Vampire's Missus
Summary: Is Nick's latest arrest a thinly veiled Mary Sue? This story attempts to explain Nick's tendency to lurk in dark corners...


Save The Best Until Last

The door creaked on its hinges as Nick eased it open. He glanced across at Tony as they entered the warehouse. Their flashlights picked up strange shapes amongst the shadows. It was a very cold night and Nick could see Tony's breath glow eerily in the dim light.

Tony hated cold nights and he puffed into his gloved hands in a futile effort to keep warm. He signalled to Nick to look in the first room, while he crept into the second.

Nick looked around the room and saw candles on the floor and other evidence that someone had been here. He was just about to catch up with Tony when a dark flash flew at him, and he instinctively wielded his ASP in self-defence.

The next thing he was aware of was Tony shaking him as he lay sprawled on the floor. Tony had cuffed Nick's attacker, who was lying on the ground next to Nick.

Nick groaned as he sat up. He wasn't sure what had happened, and rubbed his neck and winced in pain.

Tony patted him on the back, "You'll live, Nick. C'mon, we found our vandal, and I've done her for assalting a police officer."

Nick got up and looked at his attacker for the first time, as Tony hauled her up . She licked her lips, and Nick thought he saw blood.

"Did I hurt you?", he asked her.

The woman smiled, "No, I bit my lip..."

Tony led the woman out and Nick followed, a little shakily.

Outside, Nick climbed in the back of the car with the woman. She was small and with blue-black hair which looked like a bird's nest. She had scarlet lipstick and fingernails.

She wore a long, black leather frock coat and dangerous looking boots. _One or more cows have died a noble death to clothe this woman_, Nick thought.

She sat in silence, smiling throughout the trip back to the nick, occassionally glancing at Nick and then Tony as he checked the rear-view mirror.

Sgt. Murphy opened the door to Custody and nearly had a heart attack as she saw what Tony and Nick had brought in. She crossed herself (hoping that nobody had seen her) and waited for Tony to explain.

"Criminal damage and she assaulted Nick, Sarge."

Sheeee looked at Nick, "Do you need to see the FME, Nick?"

Nick shrugged, "Nah, I'm fine."

Sheeee keep looking at him, "Are you sure? You look pale."

"He always does!", Tony grinned.

Sheeeeeee smiled, then turned to the woman, "Right, young lady. Name?"

"Zrinka Illescu", she said in a warm Eastern European accent.

"Is that S- H- R- I- N- K- A?", Sheee asked .

"No, with a Z."

"Can you spell the last name, please?"

The woman placidly sounded out the letters, "I for iguana; double L for love..."

Shee tapped out the name, and asked, "Address?"

"The warehouse where they found me."

"No fixed abode, then...", Shee tapped, "I suppose you don't have a solictor? Okay, we'll get the Duty Solictor to come down. Cell 1."

Nick took her down to the women's cells and Zrinka walked in smiling at him.

"You might be here for a while, I'll get you a coffee and something to eat if you want.", Nick said to her.

Zrinka sat down and smiled even more, "Thank you."

As Nick walked back, Tony laughed, "Got yourself a girlfriend there, Nicky boy! Or maybe she's your long-lost twin sister."

"Very funny...", Nick rolled his eyes.

They walked off down to the canteen to wait for the Duty Solicitor to turn up.

Tony settled into one of the comfy chairs in the corner of the room as Nick made the coffees. He brought one over to Tony and the big man took a big sip and ahhhhed in delight.

"You must be one of the few people around here to actually like my coffee!", Nick smiled, loitering behind Tony.

In her cell, Zrinka smiled again as Nick brought in her snack and drink.

"You seem very happy to be in here.", Nick smiled back at her.

"No, it's the company.", Zrinka said, as she gazed into his eyes.

"That why you went at me in the warehouse?", Nick half-laughed.

"I'm sorry, but a girl on her own has to protect herself...", she licked her lips again making Nick blink.

"Um..yeah...um...I'm sure the solictor will be here soon...so you can talk to them. Anyway, what you doing living in a dingy place like that. You can't be safe on your own? I could get Social Services to get you some help...", Nick asked in concern.

Zrinka gazed at him, "I can take care of myself."

Sheee came over and sent Nick on his way, "Don't you have any paperwork to catch up on?"

Nick looked at Zrinka once more, then to Sheee, "Right, Sarge...sorry."

In the deserted canteen, Tony woke with a start. He rubbed his neck and checked his watch, glad that no-one had seen him nod off. He finished his coffee and went to find Nick.

He saw Nick strolling down the corridor and asked, "Where you been? I wanted another coffee!"

"What did your last slave die of?", Nick retorted.

Gary and Honey buzzed the door to Custody again. Honey pulled the handle, but it was still locked.

"Maybe we should dial 999?", Gary joked, "Locked out of our own nick!"

Honey smiled, "Maybe they're all asleep?"

Tony and Nick walked back into Custody with the Duty Solicitor as Sheee opened the outer door. She looked embaressed and rubbed her neck as she waved Gary and Honey over.

"D & D, Sarge."

Sheee took the details and sent the drunk into a cell.

Nick sent the solictor in to speak with Zrinka, then went over to Sheee and Tony.

"I'm not sure we should be keeping her here, Sarge. She's more in need of a bed and a decent feed."

"Do you want to withdraw the assault charge then? What about the criminal damage?"

"It was a just a knock, and it was self-preservation...", Nick shrugged, "Plus the warehouse is derelict...you can't really tell if something is damaged by her or the weather."

"So, what brought this about? A nice pair of breasts?", Sheee asked skeptically.

Tony shrugged, "Well, it's up to you if you want to NFA it, Nick. I'm not fussed either way."

"So you dragged the Duty out here at this time of night for nothing!", Shee scolded, then sighed, "Go on...you tell him the good news."

Nick went over to the cell where the solictor was sitting next to Zrinka, rubbing his neck and leaning against the wall.

"Erm...sorry to disturb. We've decided to drop the charges. I'll try and get you into a Women's Refuge for tonight, Ms Illescu."

The solicitor smiled and said, "No harm done, that's what I'm here for."

Zrinka stared at Nick and quietly said, "Thank you."

As the solicitor was shown out by Honey, Nick strolled down to chat with Gary, still fussing with the drunk.

"You don't half pick 'em, Gary...", Nick smiled.

"I think he's been watching too many TV shows...", Gary laughed as the man sang TV theme tunes.

They walked out of Custody and down the corridor.

"I'm busting for the loo!", Gary said as he opened a door.

"So am I, too much coffee, I think!", replied Nick.

In the canteen, Tony and Honey chatted as the kettle boiled.

"The thing with astrology is that you need the exact time of birth, otherwise it isn't any good...", Honey prattled.

Tony sighed, "Yeah, but what if there's another planet that hasn't been discovered yet? How would that affect it?"

"Well, it'd stuff things right up!", Honey shrugged.

Gary came in shaking his head and pulled Tony aside, "Tony...is it possible to fall asleep while...you know...?"

"I know...what?", Tony looked mystified.

"While peeing...", Gary muttered.

Tony started to laugh and patted Gary on the back, "Good one, Gao...nearly had me going then!"

Honey wandered off and found Nick in the rec room.

"Want a game of pool, Honey?", Nick asked.

"We've got to go back out in a minute!", Honey moaned.

"Just a quick one! We've got to nip out too, soon.", Nick smiled.

They knocked a few balls round, then Honey tried to figure out a shot. Nick came up behind her and guided her arm, "There you go...got it!", he cried.

Tony and Gary finished their drinks and went to find their partners. Tony found Nick loitering near the notice board.

"Come on! We better be out again.", Tony chided.

Gary found Honey lounging on a chair, "Oi! Lazy bones...come on!"

"Ooooo, nearly fell asleep there!", giggled Honey as she stood up and followed Gary out.

The rest of the shift passed quietly. Sheeeee had sent Zrinka off with a social worker to a refuge and no more collars were brought in.

The next night, Tony and Nick had brought in a drunk and so had Cass and Ruby. Their drunk had sliced Cass' hand with a broken bottle, so it needed attention.

Ruby and Tony went off for a coffee and Nick and Cass had found themselves alone in the FME's office. Nick gently washed Cass' wound and put anti-septic cream on it, then a bandage. He held up her hand and smiled, "Now, I'll kiss it better!"

Cass laughed, "You're so sweet!"

Nick still had her hand and moved closer to her, smiling even more.

Tenminutes later, Cass was showing Tony her bandage and Ruby and Nick were discussing training courses. Nick told her the new forms had come in and went with her to find the right ones.

In the Sargent's Office, Nick and Ruby poured through the forms.

"Oh, this one's a computer crime course...looks interesting.", Ruby said, as Nick leant over her shoulder to read it.

All too soon, it was time to go back out into the cold night. Ruby and Cass chatted happily as they walked to the panda. Tony and Nick walked briskly behind them, "Flippin' brass monkey weather again!", Tony muttered.

On the third night, Tony and Nick brought in a man wanted by CID. Nick walked upstairs to find the night officer. Tonight it was Debbie, and she sat in CID half-heartedly doing paperwork, in between rounds of solitaire on the computer.

Nick walked in and greeted her. She sat back and sighed, "What's up?"

"Got Eddie MacGuire downstairs for you."

"That scumbag! Been wanting to nab him for ages. Good one, Nick!", Debbie's eyes lit up.

Nick walked over to the desk, "There's the file. Oh, and red 7 on black 8, Sarge!", he winked as he leant over her shoulder.

In the morning, Gina was looking through the week's paperwork. She scratched her head as she saw several requests for night-duty. Normally, it was nigh-on impossible to get volunteers for night-work. She shrugged and started to plow through the workload.

Early on Friday morning of the second week, Smiffy walked into the station to prepare for the next shift.

He had his coffee and quickly checked through the pron noms, and alerts for the day.

Tony and Nick walked in with an early morning prowler and finished just in time for knocking-off.

Nick smiled as he walked past the Sgt's office and gave Smiffy a cheery "Morning, Sarge!"

Smiffy looked up, "You're chipper! People are usually knackered after night shift."

Nick smiled and walked into the office, closing the door, "That's cos I saved the best untll last!"

"What's that supposed to mean?", Smiffy asked in confusion.

"I'll show you!", Nick grinned as he leant over Smiffy and sank his vampire fangs into his neck.

The End


End file.
